1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fixing element, a cover device and a multifunction printer, and more particularly, to a fixing element which locks two of three layers of covers together, a cover device using the fixing element, and a multifunction printer using the cover device.
2. Description of Related Art
Regarding ordinary scanners, photocopiers or multifunction printers, etc., upper covers thereof may open and close relative to machine bodies. Take a multifunction printer as an example. Because of a greater volume, the multifunction printer is usually placed at corners of an office to allow office workers to copy or scan documents easily.
A scanner of the multifunction printer is disposed on the machine body of the multifunction printer, wherein the scanner includes a scan lid and a scan base, and a mid chassis is disposed on the machine body to fix the scan base. When the scan base opens relative to the machine body, elements in the machine body are exposed to allow the maintenance staff or users to perform maintenance or replacement of the elements (such as an ink cartridge) in the machine body of the multifunction printer easily.
Usually, when the users intend to use the scanning function of the scanner, the users only have to open the scan lid relative to the scan base. When intending to perform maintenance or replacement of the elements in the machine body, the users have to open the scan lid and the scan base at the same time. However, if an element that locks the scan lid, the scan base or the mid chassis together is not disposed, the users may open the scan base altogether even when the users only have to open the scan lid.
In current multifunction printers, to lock two of the scan lid, the scan base or the mid chassis together, two fixing elements are disposed, wherein one is for locking the scan lid and the scan base together, and the other is for locking the scan base and the mid chassis together.